Australia passed the Corporations Amendment (Digital Assets Framework) Bill 2025 on April 1, 2026, requiring crypto exchanges and custody providers to obtain Australian Financial Services Licenses from ASIC within six months. The legislation creates two regulated categories—digital asset platforms that hold crypto for users and tokenized custody platforms that hold real-world assets and issue corresponding digital tokens—bringing them under the same core rules as brokers and fund managers, including requirements to safeguard client assets, provide standardized disclosures, and maintain dispute resolution systems. Research from the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Center estimates Australia could generate A$24 billion annually from tokenized markets, representing roughly 1% of GDP, compared to just A$1 billion by 2030 under the previous regulatory approach. Industry representatives from Kraken and OKX Australia praised the framework as a pivotal signal that will attract institutional participation and give firms confidence to invest locally.
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